Hair clipper



V. W. PUCINO HAIR CLIPPER Jan. 3, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1965 FIG."3

INVENTOR. VITO W. P'UCINO MORGAN, FINNEGAN. DURHAM a PINE ATTORNEYS V- W. PUCINO Jan. 3, 1967 HAIR CLIPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1965 Qm l w d E 1 N VEN T OR. VITO W. PUCINO MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM .8 PINE ATTORNEYS United States atent 3,295,202 HAIR CLIPPER Vito W. Pacino, 57 Vail Ava, Beacon, N.Y. 12508 Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,543 d Claims. (Ill. 30-200) This application is a continuation-in-part of a copending application of Vito W. Pucino entitled, Improved Hair Clipper, Ser. No. 411,904, filed Nov. 17, 1964.

This invention relates to hair clippers provided with automatic hair tapering devices, and more particularly to a novel hair clipper having means for automatically tapering hair in varying predetermined lengths.

One essential feature of a good haircut is a smoothly graduated taper which follows the contour of the head. A properly tapered head of hair should be shortest at the neckline and ears and, then, gradually and uniformly increase in length on the back and sides of the head as the distances from the neck and ears increase, thereby producing a neat and symmetrical appearance. In order to obtain the desired result with only the standard hair clipper, comb and scissors, a steady and skillful hand is required, but even the most experienced of barbers cannot be assured of obtaining highly satisfactory results in every instance, as he is required to regulate manually the distance from the scalp at which the clipper is held as well as to visually judge what the proper distances should be in the first instance.

Furthermore, if the barber'is to obtain highly satisfactory results with sufiicient regularity while using the standard barbers tools, he must be willing to do this at the expense of speed. This is not too much of a hardship when the barber shop is not crowded and the barber can afford to take his time with each haircut. But during the hours when the shop is crowded with patrons, speed becomes a very important asset and time a highly valuable commodity. A few minutes saved on each haircut during the course of the day can result in a few extra haircuts during that same period of time.

Although mechanical aids have heretofore been produced, a good deal of time and skill are still required, with the barber having to master the use of these mechanical helpers as well, they being designed merely to facilitate the tapering operation rather than to produce a taper independently.

In accordance with the instant invention, a device is provided which, when used with any standard hair clipper, will automatically taper the hair. This device is essentially a wedge-shaped spacer which laterally tilts the cutting element of the clipper with respect to the scalp so that one end of the cutting element is maintained in closer proximity to the scalp than is its other end, with intermediate points on the cutting element being held at intermediate distances corresponding to the depth of the spacer at these points.

As the tapering operation proceeds up the back of the head, the overall distance at which the cutting element is maintained can be increased so that the length of hair left by the clipper further up the back of the head can be increased beyond that left by the farther end of the cutting element in its former position.

As will be seen, this invention will enable the barber, whether he be highly skilled or relatively inexperienced, to consistently obtain a symmetrical and uniformly smooth taper, and will also enable him to achieve this result in much less time than it would ordinarily require.

Therefore, it is one object. of the instant invention to provide a hair tapering device which, in combination with any conventional hair clipper, will assure even the inexperienced barber that he will produce a symmetrical, smoothly graduated taper in every instance.

It is a more particular object of the instant invention 'ice to provide a device which will automatically produce a tapered haircut when used in combination with any con ventional hair clipper.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a tapering device in the form of a removable attachment which can be easily mounted on, and removed from, any conventional hair clipper.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a hair tapering device in the form of a bottom blade for any standard hair clipper.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a hair tapering device which, in combination with any conventional hair clipper, will materially reduce the time required for giving a haircut.

And still another object of this invention is the provision of a hair tapering device which is simple in. construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to use.

These and other objects, features and advantages will be made apparent during the course of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts in the several figures, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a removable tapering attachment embodying the features of the invention mounted on a hair clipper according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the attachment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the attachment mounted on the hair clipper;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a bottom tapering blade embodying the features of the invention in combination with an upper cutting blade; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4.

Briefly and generally, the invention comprises, in combination, a conventional hair clipper having a cutting element defining a cutting edge, and a laterally beveled spacing member which underlies the cutting element to function as a wedge-like support for the clipper when the latter is held against the head during operation.

The spacing member is formed with a base and has a plurality of spaced supporting teeth forwardly depending from the base between a point intermediate the two lateral ends of the base and one of its ends. These teeth, being the only spacer teeth of both non-uniform length and depth, gradually decrease in length and depth starting at the lateral end, the tooth located at the intermediate point extending in advance of the cutting edge.

In one species of the invention, the spacer takes the form of a removable plastic attachment which is entirely devoid of teeth from the intermediate point to the other lateral end.

In a second species, the spacer takes the form of a bottom blade for a hair clipper, and has a plurality of spacer teeth positioned between the intermediate point and the other lateral end, these teeth continuing to decrease in depth but being of uniform length and extending slightly in advance of the cutting edge.

In the drawings, wherein is shown two of various possible embodiments of the invention, the tapering device illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 is in the form of a removable attachment comprising a spacer 11 and struc tural means 41 for removably afiixing spacer 11 to the conventional 'hair clipper 21 shown in FIGURE 3. The clipper is provided with a main body portion 22 and a cutting element which is essentially a pair of opposed blades 23 and 24, each having a series of cutting teeth, 26 and 27 respectively. The upper cutting blade is laterally movable so that, its teeth, in conjunction with the teeth of the laterally stationary bottom blade perform the clipping function. The forward ends of these upper 3 teeth will hereafter be referred to as the cutting edge 26A. Bottom blade 24 is slidably mounted on the clipper so as to be conventionally adjustable in a direction normal to cutting edge 26A.

Spacer 11, illustratively formed of plastic, includes a base portion 12 having a leading edge 13. A plurality of parallel comb-like supporting teeth 14 depend forwardly from the leading edge of the spacer in a direction normal to cutting edge 26A and in advance thereof. Teeth 14 depend along the leading edge from one lateral end of base 12 to an intermediate point, illustratively being substantially midway between its two ends. In addition, spacer teeth 14 are provided with arrowhead-like hooks 15 at their forward ends which hook around the forward ends of the bottom blade teeth thereby preventing the spacer from slipping rearwardly upon the bottom blade. Teeth 14 are illustratively spaced at substantially equal distances from each other thereby allowing the uniform feeding of hair to the cutting blade of the clipper. In addition, because there are a great number of teeth 14 in a relatively small space, the danger that the hair will bunch while being fed into the cutting teeth is eliminated.

In accordance with the invention, the teeth of spacer 11 decrease in both length and depth starting at the lateral end of base 12 and proceeding towards its midpoint. Their relative configurations enable them, when the spacer is mounted as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, to function, cooperatively, as a wedge-like supporting member thereby laterally tilting the clipper, cutting blades, and cutting edge with respect to the scalp when the clipper is held against the head in the normal manner during operation. When so held, the cutting teeth at one end of the upper cutting blade are maintained in closer proximity to the calp than are the teeth at the other end thereby producing a tapered cut. Because of the configuration of the spacer, all of the teeth need not be used to taper the hair at any given point, as where the curvature of the head requires that only a few teeth contact the scalp. In this way, a uniform taper is produced without the need for guesswork or manual guidance.

Also in accordance with the invention, the portion of the leading edge lying between the shortest tooth at what is illustratively the midpoint and the remaining lateral end is entirely devoid of teeth thereby permitting the teeth of the bottom blade at one end of the cutting edge to make direct contact with the scalp. This is a critical feature of the invention in that it allows the shorter hair at the neckline, to be clipped during the tapering operation. It has been found that if teeth were to depend from the base along its entire leading edge, the cutting edge could not get close enough to the scalp to taper the hair in these closer areas. In addition, the portion of the base adjacent the leading edge may be laterally beveled so as to cooperate with the teeth to laterally tilt the cutting element.

Each of teeth 14 increases in depth from its forward end to the leading edge of base 12 to form a bevel in a direction normal to cutting edge 26A. Since the teeth project from the leading edge at an angle so as to conform to the longitudinally beveled teeth of the bottom blade of the hair clipper, the spacer and the bottom blade are able to coact to function as a single unit. Therefore, when the standard hair clipper having the conventional slidably adjustable bottom blade is used, the operator can move the bottom blade and the attached spacer forward or rearward causing deeper or shallower portions of the supporting teeth to be adjacent to cutting edge 26A thereby varying the distance at which the cutting edge is maintained from the scalp. FIGURES 1 and 3 show the bottom blade and spacer in a forward position with deeper portions of the supporting teeth adjacent the cutting edge.

As is evident from these figures, the entire hair clipper is raised away from the scalp when the spacer is shifted forward. Therefore, as the tapering proceeds up the back of the head, the lower blade and spacer can be shifted forward gradually so as to obtain the smooth gradual taper desired.

The structural means for affixing the spacer to the hair clipper comprises a flat strip formed of any material having high resilient qualities. The ends of this strip are bent so as to form a pair of spring clips 43 which depend perpendicularly therefrom transversely of its long dimension to grasp the sides of bottom blade 24 of the hair clipper. This plate is secured to the bottom face of the base by a pair of hollow rivets 44 which pass through a pair of countersunk holes 16, which have been drilled through the base.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5, the tapering device is shown in the form of a laterally beveled bottom blade 50, illustratively being part of a unitary cutting assembly for a standard hair clipper.

The upper cutting blade 60 is of conventional design, having a base 61 and a plurality of equally spaced cutting teeth 62 of uniform length and depth which forwardly depend from the base. Upper blade 60 is suitably secured to the hair clipper and the bottom blade so as to be laterally movable with respect to both and is operatively connected to the motor of the clipper from which it receives its lateral cutting motion. The forward ends of teeth 62 cooperate, therefore, to define a cutting edge 62A.

Bottom blade 5% is formed with a base 51 and a plurality of equally spaced teeth shown generally at 52 which forwardly depend from base 51 to extend in advance of cutting edge 62A.

In the present embodiment, bottom blade 50 has, illustratively, 19 teeth consisting of a group of 12 teeth 52A and a group of 7 teeth 52B. Teeth 52A according to the invention, gradually decrease in length and depth starting from left lateral end 53 of the bottom blade as viewed from FIGURE 4.

Teeth 52B continue to decrease, in depth, according to the invention at their rearward ends which join with base 51. The forward ends of teeth 52B are of substantially uniformly hallow depth for reasons which will more fully appear hereinafter. The portion of the base which is adjacent teeth 52 likewise decreases in depth starting from lateral end 53. In this way, teeth 52 and base 51 combine to form a laterally beveled supporting surface which functions to laterally tilt cutting edge 62A with respect to the scalp.

Teeth 52B embody an important feature of the invention in that they are of uniform length and extend only slightly forward of cutting edge 62A. This feature also greatly simplifies the manufacturing process as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

Generally speaking, teeth 52A perform three conventional functions. These teeth lift the hair in advance of cutting edge 62A, guide the hair uniformly to the cutting edge, and maintain the hair in an upright position while the cutting teeth of the upper blade move laterally to cut the hair. So that they may perform their initial lifting function, teeth 52A gradually increase in depth from their forward ends rearwardly to points slightly in advance of cutting edge 62A, the result being that each tooth acts as a wedge to lift the hair. This longitudinal bevel is neces sary because of the fact that teeth 52A are'rearwardly relatively deep and would otherwise push aside rather than lift the hair.

Inasmuch as teeth 52B will traverse the head only at the portions where the hair is the shortest, it is not necessary that they engage this hair much in advance of cutting edge 62A. Since they do extend slightly beyond the cutting edge, they are able to guide the short hairs to the cutting edge and maintain them in an upright position while being clipped.

Because teeth 52 must gradually decrease in depth, it will readily be appreciated that if they did not decrease in length as well, then each tooth would have to be individully formed at much additional expense and time. Ac-

cording to this invention, however, all of teeth 52 can be initially of uniform dimensions. They can be ground or filed down so as to yield the laterally beveled effect. It can be seen that the more each tooth is ground down, the shorter it will become because of its initial longitudinally beveled configuration.

Teeth 528 however. will remain of uniform length since, as can be seen in FIGURE 4, the beveled portion has already been removed and each tooth thereafter is of uniform depth. Hence, any further decrease in overall tooth depth will not operate to decrease its length.

It is desirable, however, to have the forward ends of teeth 52B of substantially uniformly shallow depth so that there will be no danger that the shorter hairs will be pushed aside when contacted by the teeth.

In the present illustrative unitary cutting assembly, a conventional guide and tension plate 79 is provided which functions normally to provide the proper force or tension between the blades and to maintain the proper alignment between said blades. In addition, suitable means is provided so that the entire assembly may be readily attached or detached.

In practice, the improved hair clipper embodying the features and advantages of the instant invention is to be used in the following manner. Starting at the hair line at the back of the neck behind the left ear, the clipper is to be moved in short generally upward curving strokes. Thus the clipper is caused to travel in a path defining an are which starts out in the generally upward direction and then curves towards the right side of the head. As each stroke is completed, the clipper is shifted to a new position slightly to the right of its old position. This procedure is followed until the clipper has completely traversed the back of the head from the left ear to the right. This mode of operation causes the closer portions of the cutting edge to traverse the back of the head at the neck line, while the farther portions of the cutting edge traverse the back of the head farther away from the neckline thereby producing a tapered cut. The same procedure is employed on the sides of the head.

It should be pointed out that although in the present illustrative embodiments the graduated teeth start at the left lateral end of the base as viewed when the clipper is held against the head during operation, it is within the contemplation of the invention to have these teeth start at the right lateral end, decreasing in length and depth as an intermediate point is approached. It is also within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an independent bottom blade which is slidably adjustable in conventional manner in a direction normal to the cutting edge of the upper blade, rather than as part of a unitary cutting assembly.

It has been found through experimentation that in the bottom blade embodiment illustrated and described here in, the best results are obtained when the teeth have the configuration shown, although that particular configuration is not to be construed as a limitation on the invention. Where it is desired to use a bottom blade having a different number of teeth, the configuration which will yield the best results should be determined through experimentation. The general overall configuration as described in the appended claims, however, must be maintained if the invention is to be followed in practice.

In the study and practice of the invention, variations and modifications will undoubtedly occur, and it is understood that any changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have herein been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an improved hair clipper including an upper cutting blade defining a cutting edge, the improvement comprising a hair tapering bottom blade operatively secured to and underlying said cutting blade in supporting engagement when said clipper is held against the head during operation, said bottom blade including a base having a lead ing edge and two lateral ends and a plurality of spaced teeth forwardly depending from said leading edge between said lateral ends and extending in advance of said cutting edge, said teeth gradually decreasing in depth from one of said lateral ends to the other of said lateral ends to form a laterally beveled surface laterally tilting said cutting blade and edge with respect to the scalp thereby pro ducing a tapered cut, said teeth also gradually decreasing in length starting from the lateral end corresponding to the deeper of said teeth and proceding to a point intermediate said two ends, and being of uniform length between said intermediate point and the remaining of said lateral ends and extending only slightly in advance of said cutting edge.

2. In an improved hair clipper as described in claim 1, said base being suitably beveled in a lateral direction thereby cooperating with said teeth to laterally tilt said cutting blade and edge.

3. In an improved hair clipper including an upper cutting blade defining a cutting edge, the improvement comprising a hair tapering bottom blade operatively secured to and underlying said cutting blade in supporting engagement when said clipper is held against the head during operation, said bottom blade including a base having a leading edge and two lateral ends, said base being beveled in a lateral direction so as to laterally tilt said cutting element and cutting edge with respect to the scalp thereby producing a tapered cut, said blade further including a plurality of spaced teeth forwardly depending from said leading edge between said lateral ends and extending in advance of said cutting edge, said teeth gradually decreasing in length and depth starting from the deeper of said lateral ends to a point intermediate said two ends, and being of substantially uniform length from said intermediate point to said remaining lateral end, said uniform teeth extending only slightly in advance of said cutting edge.

4. An improved hair clipper as desecribed in claim 3, wherein said teeth of uniform length continue to decrease in depth from said intermediate point to the remaining of said lateral ends.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,401,915 12/1921 Mainwaring 30--31 1,533,564 4/1925 Mani 30--2()0 2,918,723 12/ 1959 Levin 30200 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

I. C. PETERS, Examiner. 

1. IN AN IMPROVED HAIR CLIPPER INCLUDING AN UPPER CUTTING BLADE DEFINING A CUTTING EDGE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A HAIR TAPERING BOTTOM BLADE OPERATIVELY SECURED TO AND UNDERLYING SAID CUTTING BLADE IN SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT WHEN SAID CLIPPER IS HELD AGAINST THE HEAD DURING OPERATION, SAID BOTTOM BLADE INCLUDING A BASE HAVING A LEADING EDGE AND TWO LATERAL ENDS AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED TEETH FORWARDLY DEPENDING FROM SAID LEADING EDGE BETWEEN SAID LATERAL ENDS AND EXTENDING IN ADVANCE OF SAID CUTTING EDGE, SAID TEETH GRADUALLY DECREASING IN DEPTH FROM ONE OF SAID LATERAL ENDS TO THE OTHER OF SAID LATERAL ENDS TO FORM A LATERALLY BEVELED SURFACE LATERALLY TILTING SAID CUTTING BLADE AND EDGE WITH RESPECT TO THE SCALP THEREBY PRO- 